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What Is A Charter School?
Explore the world of charter schools in this comprehensive guide. Learn about their history, how they operate, and the pros and cons of this educational innovation. Discover key facts about charter schools, including admission policies, demographics, and funding, as well as what to look for when considering a charter school for your child.

What Is A Charter School?

Charter schools fit in a niche between private and public schools.

  • They are funded with public money except for their facilities.
  • They are an alternative to regular public school systems.

A private group of people can submit an application for and get approval for a charter to run their school.

  • Charter schools receive waivers from public school districts in exchange for promising better academic results.
  • Charters are usually given three to five years to demonstrate academic achievement, during which time officials monitor students’ academic performance.
  • If academic performance lags behind comparable public schools, then the charter is pulled, and the school is closed.

Canva generated this picture of a charter school math class.

The Evolution of Charter Schools

Since the Minnesota legislature passed a law creating the first charter school in 1991, charter schools have seen an enormous increase to over 7,800 schools by 2021. By the 2021-2022 school year, charter school legislation had passed in 46 states and Washington, D.C.

  • This phenomenal increase in the number of charter schools proves that it is an educational innovation that is not confined to reforming existing schools.
  • It is also an avenue by which new schools can be created.

Chartering gives schools the freedom to tailor programs that are reflective of the community's needs.

  • Chartering also allows the school to run autonomously outside of the existing public
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What Is A Magnet School?

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What Is A Magnet School?
This comprehensive guide explores magnet schools, their history, and their role in public education. It covers their unique characteristics, including specialized curricula and diverse student bodies, while discussing the pros and cons of magnet education. The article also provides practical advice for families considering magnet schools for their children.

This article will help you better understand what magnet schools are and their role in your family's education. We'll first introduce the concept of a magnet school. Then, we'll go over the function of magnet schools and how those functions have changed over the years. After that, we'll share some basic facts about magnet schools as well as go over the pros and cons of magnet schools. Finally, we'll end the article by discussing whether a magnet school is right for your family and how to increase your chances of getting your child into a magnet school.

What is a Magnet School?

Unlike charter or private schools, a magnet school is part of the local public school system. At regular public schools, students are generally zoned into their schools based on their home location - students go to the nearest school where they live. However, this may not always be true since boundaries can seem arbitrary, and in some smaller towns, schools are not zoned at all. But, magnet schools exist outside of zoned school boundaries. Private schools are separate from local public school districts, and charter schools are public schools with private oversight. Still, magnet schools remain part of the public school system and operate under the same administration and school board.

This video explains how magnet schools differ from charter schools.

According to the Magnet Schools of America, the unique quality

. . .read more

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